TURBOWOLF @ MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3

For me the best feeling in the world for me is going to a gig. Especially when you have an amazing unique band playing. Turbowolf for have always been one of the best live bands I have ever seen live. Their music is 100% their own style and their gigs are energy filled, high octane set with some of the most lively crowds. They manage to bring out the best in every crowd they play in front of. I also like that their gigs have really no age limit. All ages were present, it was all about coming together and having a great time watching some awesome music. This was the first night of this tour and along for the night were two fun bands, the riff-tastic Big Spring and the intense Puppy. For me sometimes the discovery of something new can be just as exciting as experiencing the familiar in a new setting and both openers really delivered.

Cramped up on front of the stage the four members of Big Spring got on stage. Their set was a really interesting mix of stoner rock riffs and punk-like fury. At the same time though the melodies were really nice to the ear and the singers voice was really nice to listen to. The band had a good presence and really showed that spark of life, with well performed bass lines and fantastic guitar solos. They were a really great opener giving the crowd some fire right off of the bat. I enjoyed the set immensely and I really wanted more from them. Their delivery was so passionate and the music was really tight you couldn’t help but love them. You could tell this support slot meant a lot to them. The atmosphere was a little lacking for the set, I wish there were more people and they could have been getting more into it.

Up next, was the rip roaring sound of Puppy. As soon as they came on stage they tore up the place with the quick fire energy and tight rhythm. Every second you could feel that raw passion for their songs and for performing. They also were able to get a chuckle out of the crowd with some well executed banter. They started joking with idea of playing “Butterfly” by the band Crazy Town. The lead singer made the joke “I wish I could play it!”, before cutting into their own material again. Their approach to their performance with one you could really get behind, with their sharp tones and aggressive, pulsating rhythm section they really hit the Manchester crowd hard with some excellent music. The only problem was with the drum kit. I will give them their due they manages to turn this into something really entertaining, but the bass drum mustn’t have been secured correctly as it kept moving away from the drummer and every few songs they had to fiddle with the kit. You could see the drummer becoming more agitated as the set went on and it was constantly distracting. However, the show must go on and they remained professional and finished the set. Which I can respect, like I say I never penalise bands for technical issues, here there was nothing wrong with the band, great music and a captivating performance and I would definitely pay to see them live again.

The lights dimmed and with the excitement of the release of, The Free Life, Turbowolf took to the stage creating that sound that only they mage to make. Opening on the new song Capital X and then busting into the hit American Mirrors. The crowd went absolutely ballistic going into a complete frenzy and moshing, dancing, pushing and shoving occurred. Chris Georgiadis , ever the charismatic frontman was encouraging the behaviour whilst keeping the mood light and entertaining. The band brought so much energy and electricity to the stage. The tight riffs melded into the well constructed baselines and rhythms and the synth and electronic elements to their music just added to the atmosphere. The new songs bleeded really well into the older material with the old songs getting massive cheers and the newer material receiving a warm reaction as well. Even though it was release day some of the songs like Domino and The Free Life (which closed the show) have been out for a while so people were familiar with the songs. It was a non-stop set list and Turbowolf left no time for the crowd to calm down in this short but sweet show. They manages to get through 12 songs mixing up all of the albums to create something that the crowd could really get behind.

Overall it was an excellent night with some fantastic music. All three bands played to the best of their ability and the crowd was absolutely fantastic. The energy was good all night as the gig slowly built to a great climax. Turbowolf continue to prove why they’re one of the best touring bands today. Showing off with charm, energy and some fantastic songs. The four of them are like a well oiled machine and always manage to deliver a great show.